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I have been kiteboarding for about 6 years now. I have a 7m screamer, 9m screamer, and 14m screamer and an old 2007 17m waroo. I am 6’4 200lbs and have an old best pro 130 and LF influence 138 board.

I enjoy just cruising around and jumping big airs. My goal this year is the learn kiteloops.


I am in the market for a new board. I was looking for a good all around board. I use to ride wakestyle bindings but injured my knee and now just ride foot straps. What do you think about be a good size for me? I normally ride in OBX. Last year I rode my 14m most of the time. But my 138 seemed to be a little small when the wind got lighter and I found myself having to work the kite a lot and sinking in the lulls - While the other smaller guys around me kept cursing around and jumping. I was looking at the epic oxygen so that I could use that with my 14m screamer when the wind is a little light. What would be a good size for me to use all around?


I am also looking to teach my dad this summer to get up and riding. He lost a lot of weight and is super excited to get into the sport. But he is a big guy too. He weighs 260lbs and is 6’3. What would be a good board for him to learn on? Would the epic oxygen be good for him too? I also need to find him a big harness. I was thinking a seat harness. I have an XL dakine seat harness but it is a little small for him. Does anyone out there make one for big guys? Would he be able to use my kites? Or should I look into an epic infinity or bigger kite like that?

jakster4 wrote:I am also looking to teach my dad this summer to get up and riding. He lost a lot of weight and is super excited to get into the sport. But he is a big guy too. He weighs 260lbs and is 6’3. What would be a good board for him to learn on? Would the epic oxygen be good for him too? I also need to find him a big harness. I was thinking a seat harness. I have an XL dakine seat harness but it is a little small for him. Does anyone out there make one for big guys? Would he be able to use my kites? Or should I look into an epic infinity or bigger kite like that?

Only help I can offer... Dakine Fusion comes in XXL and fits big - at 6'3" 260lbs, what is his waist measurement? I've used one for the past 4 years and I'm only now down to a 42 inch waist.

I'm amazed you can get around on such small boards - you must have nice clean wind and flat water there!

Kamikuza wrote:

jakster4 wrote: I'm amazed you can get around on such small boards - you must have nice clean wind and flat water there!

What size would you suggest? Dimitri said the droid 134X41 would be a good fit for me. But that is about the same size as my influence. Any help would be great!

Depends on your riding conditions and style! If you want more riding in the low end, go for wider and flatter boards... and demo as many as you can!

Would have thought Dimitri would have suggested the Oxygen for light wind - 135x47 or something, isn't it? I'm not convinced it's big enough for me, but we get mad chop on the lake and I need as much planing area as possible...

Noticed lots of new boards now seem to be going for width - wider than 40cm even for < 140cm boards eg. 135x42 - http://naishkites.com/Hero/

have a look here...price is interesting and the company support is great too.
http://switchkites.com/products/boards/freestyle.html

good luck !!
dude

In my experience, some of the key factors for me(205lbs) are width and rocker. A good number for width is around 46cm W. A flatter rocker with softer tips will give you speed and then control as the wind picks up. There are lots of boards wider than 46cm, but but the larger "door" type models,for me, the fun factor is just not there. The trend seems to be, shorter,wide boards.A good example is the new Shinn Speedball. Its 132 x 47 with a super nice outline.
If you really wanted fantastic Light/Med wind performance, a directional style board like a Airush Sector is a great option. Riding in the OBX, weed fins would be required but in 10-15 knots, nothing would touch it for all round fun IMO.
I rode the Epic Oxygen, its a really good example of what I'm talking about. Short,wide and very controllable as the wind picks up. A 2 board (TT) is almost a must if you want to ride LW.
Good Luck

The Epic Oxygen would make a very good board for you to improve your LW kiting and it is a very fun board to ride also when the wind pickup a little more, very easy to handle because of the short size (135) and flexible tips. And for your father the Oxygen at his weight would be the best board to learn on. You have two sets of fins also with this board, the bigger black one are perfect to learn and the smaller set bring some fun factor to the board, it will be so fun to ride in small wave, switching heel side to toe side is a breeze.

And if your goal for you is to get the most of LW while keeping a fun factor, take a look at the Shinn King George 150X50. This is my new LW board. I was on the Oxygen last year. The KG is not as polyvalent as the Oxygen but it plane earlier due to his extra size. I am at 195lbs.

I will test the new Shinn Speedball mentioned by bigwave in two weeks, not as much surface as the oxygen (and not really a dedicated LW board) but I think it should be a very fun all around board.

I think i'm nice inbetween weight between you and your dad. 115kg.
I usually ride a 132x41 twintip (3E royal (doesnt excist anymore) (its a direct cousin of the Fluid Grind and twoseven) its defenitly one of the nicer boards i have ever ridden. Its smooth and gives me alot of float and simply goes upwind FAST.

Last time i was in OBX Dimitri got me on the Epic Droid and Oxygen. The Droid 135x41 was really nice it did give me a little less float then my own board but the riding was nice i think because of the small rocker the board planed even easier. The board really suprised me its more playfull then i imagined and gives a good edgecontrol.
The Oxygen well in lightwind i think its a great board. But as soon as the wind becomes stronger i found it a more difficult board because of how wide it is. Maybe its something you get used to.

If you ride mostley in OBX why dont you ask Dimitri to lend you 2 testboards? You can see for yourself. (and ask him about the NEW board )

For your dad the Oxygen might be fun to learn on. i think that board will give him the extra float to easy learn the waterstart and first riding. For when he is a descent rider i think he will like something less wide. But to learn its definitly good.

I'm 235lb and ride 9 Fuel, 10 Edge and 15 Edge.

I have a SU2 pro rider 135/41.5 and a Flydoor.

I hardly use the Flydoor tbh.